‘Hands off grandma’: How detention of 73-year-old Indian-origin woman in US has sparked anger

A 73-year-old Indian origin woman has been detained by immigration officials in California, prompting protests and concern among her family and the community.

Harjit Kaur, who has lived in Hercules in California’s East Bay for more than 30 years, was taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) on September 8 in San Francisco.

Her family said she was moved the following day to the Mesa Verde Ice Processing Centre in Bakersfield.

Her sudden detention has led to anger and growing demands for her release.

But who is she, and why was she detained?

Let’s take a look:

Who is Harjit Kaur? What happened?

The 73-year-old Sikh woman was taken into custody by immigration authorities in California after attending a routine check-in with the US agency.

Her family, local leaders and advocacy groups have been urging her release, pointing to her health problems and her deep ties to the community.

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Kaur, a long-time resident of Hercules in California’s East Bay, has been living in the United States for more than 30 years.

73 Year old Bebe Harjit Kaur is in ICE custody.
At her advanced age,detention poses serious risks to her health.
Her family is calling for her immediate release,elders deserve care and dignity,not confinement.#FreeHarjitKaur #PunjabFloods https://t.co/UditIAVH1z pic.twitter.com/NKEBqh5TW7

— 𝔹𝕒𝕛𝕨𝕒𓁆 (@shakkrpara) September 13, 2025

Her family said she was detained by Ice on September 8 in San Francisco and moved the next day to the Mesa Verde Ice Processing Centre in Bakersfield.

“She was taken to a detention centre in Bakersfield,” said a report by Berkeleyside, a nonprofit news outlet.

Notably, her family said that she has no criminal record and has “faithfully reported” to Ice every six months for over 13 years.

Kaur moved from India in 1992 as a single mother raising two sons and has been under Ice supervision since her asylum plea was rejected in 2012, The Indian Express reported.

‘Hands Off Our Grandma’

The sudden detention has sparked widespread outrage and demands for her release. Around 200 people gathered in El Sobrante on Friday, carrying placards that read “Hands Off Our Grandma" and “Bring Grandma Home."

The protest was led by her family, the Sikh Center and the local advocacy group Indivisible West Contra Costa.

Speaking at the rally, her granddaughter Sukhdeep Kaur told Richmondside, “She’s not a criminal. And she’s not only my grandma. She is everyone’s grandma.”

“Everyone looks up to her as a mother figure… she is independent, selfless, hard-working,” she added.

Local leaders also showed their support.

State Senator Jesse Arreguin said in a post on X, “Over 70% of people arrested by Ice have no criminal conviction. Now, they are literally going after peaceful grandmothers. This shameful act is harming our communities. I demand the release of Harjit Kaur.”

Over 70% of people arrested by ICE have no criminal conviction. Now, they are literally going after peaceful grandmothers. This shameful act is harming our communities. I demand the release of Harjit Kaur. https://t.co/jGS9FiJbJI

— State Senator Jesse Arreguín (@JesseArreguin) September 13, 2025

A representative from Congressman John Garamendi’s office joined the protest, as did Hercules City Council member Dilli Bhattarai.

“She is not doing any harm to the community. She is an abiding constituent just like us," Bhattarai said.

Kaur spent over two decades working as a seamstress at a family-run shop in Berkeley.

Her daughter-in-law, Manjit Kaur, said during the protest that Harjit had always followed immigration rules and had repeatedly tried to get travel papers from the Indian Consulate.

“Ice has been trying for the past 13 years to get her a travel document. If Ice can’t get it in 13 years, how are we supposed to get it?" she asked the crowd.

Her family has also raised concerns about her health. She suffers from thyroid problems, chronic knee pain, migraines and anxiety, and they say she is not getting the medication she needs in detention.

“When we did hear from her, she was crying and begging us for help," the family said in a statement to ABC7 News.

Congressman Garamendi has called the detention “misplaced priorities” and urged Ice to target high-risk individuals instead of elderly residents who have long-standing ties to the community. His office has sent an inquiry to Ice.

In a statement, Garamendi said: “President (Donald) Trump initially promised to go after the ‘worst of the worst’ in his immigration policy. Yet this administration’s decision to detain a 73-year-old woman - a respected member of the community with no criminal record who has faithfully reported to Ice every six months for more than 13 years - is one more example of the misplaced priorities of Trump’s immigration enforcement.”

“Our office will do everything possible to support her case and her family,” he said. Bhattarai told The Berkeleyside that he is exploring ways the city can press the federal government to secure Kaur’s release.

Sukhdeep Kaur described her grandmother as “independent, selfless, hard-working” and said she is seen as a “mother figure” by the community.

“We are all just in a state of shock,” Sukhdeep Kaur said.

With inputs from agencies